Thursday, April 17, 2008

GLBT DIGEST April 17, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Tori Spelling Relishes Role as Gay Icon
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Even in Hollywood where celebrity bashing is astandard practice, Tori Spelling has endured more than her share of mockery.
But among one set of fans, the former "Beverly Hills 90210" star is adored.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-spelling.html?scp=7&sq=GAY&st=nyt

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Mexico's 'emos' demand respect after attacks
Followers of subculture take to streets
MEXICO CITY - Maybe it's the tight black jeans and dark makeup. Or the moodyposes, one eye peering out from under a shock of fuschia or jet-black hair.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flhmexemos0417sbapr17,0,5810046.story

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Steve Rothaus
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/steve_rothaus/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Blade columnist: Gay man's killer should be the last homophobe to get awaywith murderSean's last wish - Gay man's killer should be the last homophobe to get away with murder.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/04/blade-columnist.html


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Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Pope waves to gay Catholic group
Dignity members claim 'we got our message across' during Benedict's historicvisit
Pope Benedict XVI waved to members of the gay Catholic group Dignity
Washington on Wednesday as his motorcade drove along Rock Creek Parkway nearDupont Circle shortly after he attended a ceremony in his honor at the WhiteHouse.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17744

-200 trans rights advocates lobby Congress
Visitors from 29 states ask lawmakers to oppose gay-only ENDA
Nearly 200 transgender rights activists and their supporters descended onWashington from 29 states this week to urge Congress to support legislationaimed at ending discrimination and violence.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17733

-House rejects benefits for partners of gay teachers
Supporters say change wouldn't have cost taxpayers anything
The Illinois House has rejected a measure aimed at helping gay teachers inChicago.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17722

-Scientologist Feared a Gay Friend Caused My Car Crash
. . .In the story, Beghe warns Will Smith away from Scientology, explainshow Tom Cruise was separated from the Church, and relates how aScientologist implied that Beghe's car crash was caused by his friendshipwith a homosexual.
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2008/04/jason_beghe_sci.php

-New transgender laws considered
Transsexual people in the Isle of Man will have their new gender recognisedin law under draft legislation.
The Gender Recognition Bill 2008 is based on similar legislation introducedin the UK.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/isle_of_man/7350143.stm


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Manila: Doctors Investigated After Video Surfaces Of Treatment Of Gay Man In
Operating Room
A video posted on YouTube showing Philippine doctors laughing whileremoving an object from a patient may lead to charges against the surgeonsand cost them their medical licenses, according to officials.

-Democrat Runs For President From Prison
(Boise, Idaho) A federal prison inmate got himself listed on the ballot forIdaho's May 27 primary as a Democratic presidential candidate, the state'stop election official said.

-British PM Meets Presidential Candidates
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says that it's feasible toreduce the number of allied troops in Iraq, a view he's expected to sharewhen he sees the three presidential candidates today, at least two of whomare inclined to agree.

-The Boss Says Vote Obama
Rock star Bruce Springsteen is endorsing Democratic Sen. BarackObama for president, saying "he speaks to the America I've envisioned in mymusic for the past 35 years."

-Clinton Declares Obama Can Win White House
Pennsylvania: Hillary Rodham Clinton said emphatically
Wednesday night that Barack Obama can win the White House this fall,undercutting her efforts to deny him the nomination by suggesting he wouldlead the party to defeat.

-Anti-Gay Remarks Could Cost Oklahoma Major Corporation
(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) A major corporation is reportedly havingreservations about relocating to Oklahoma City in light of comments by stateRep. Sally Kern that gays are a worse threat than terrorists.

-Gay Seniors Homes Proposed In Vancouver
(Vancouver, British Columbia) Plans have been unveiled for a condominium forVancouver's LGBT seniors to be built by an American company that already hascompleted a similar project in New Mexico.

-Out Actress Battles Breast Cancer
(New York City) Cynthia Nixon has joined forces with the breast cancerorganization Susan G. Komen for the Cure and is going public with her ownbattle with breast cancer.

-LGBT Groups: Try Teen In Lawrence King Murder As Juvenile
(Oxnard, California) A coalition of 27 LGBT rights groups is calling onprosecutors to try 14-year-old Brandon McInerney in juvenile court, not asan adult.

-Bush Gushes Over Pope At White House
(Washington) President Bush has welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to the WhiteHouse with assurances that the United States is a nation of prayer and thatits people are open to his message of hope.


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay Senate Candidate Wins Endorsements
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Jim Neal was endorsed Tuesday for theMay 6 primary against his chief rival, North Carolina state senator KayHagan. Neal picked up the first media endorsement of the primary from Yes!Weekly in Greensboro, N.C., as well as the Guilford County chapter of theProgressive Democrats of America, according to a press release by thecampaign.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53484.asp

-Trans Candidate, Among Others, Ousted In Italian Election
The Roman princess didn't make it; the transgender lawmaker is out; theself-professed Fascist is in.
There are some fresh faces in the new Italian parliament and somespectacular exclusions. Communists and Socialists are out for the first timesince World War II, as the number of parties represented between the twohouses has gone from scores to about half a dozen.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53480.asp


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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-A Journey of Personal Change
Judy Shepard has a frog in her throat.
She hasn't been home to Wyoming in two weeks, and the back-to-back speechesare taking their toll. Allergy season in Texas isn't helping, either. Andnow, dozens of whooping and hollering teenagers are clamoring to have a wordwith her.

-New South Wales: Gay Lobby Pressures State School
NSW schools are under pressure to provide gay-friendly environments, aSydney newspaper reports. eachers are being urged to stop using terms suchas husband and wife and the words boyfriend, girlfriend and spouse are to bereplaced by "partner", The Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday.

-New Film Las Dos Caras de Jano
Las Dos Caras de Jano (The Two Faces of Janus) is the story of IsabeloAndújar (Lacén), a private detective on a mission to catch serial killer"The Angel of Bachelors" who preys on Puerto Rico's closeted homosexual malesocialites. The second in a series of books written by author, WilfredoMattos-Cintron brought to the big screen, the film bodly address the issueof closeted homosexuality within communities that force gays to hide theirtrue identites. Filled with murder, mystery and intrigue, Las Dos Caras deJanos captivatingly ventures into the gay issues.

-Gay Councilman Doesn't Include Gay Community in City Legislation
Openly gay Metro Councilman Keith Durbin, who represents Metro District 18,tells the Nashville City Paper that he didn't include Nashville's GLBTcommunity in legislation that establishes a procurement nondiscriminationprogram because he was not approached to do so. The bill was signed into lawon Monday as an effort to ensure women- and minority-owned businesses havean equal shot at Metro contracts and subcontracts The City Paper reportsthat the bill sets up the Office of Minority and Women BusinessesAssistance, which will be under the Metro Finance Department serving as awatchdog group.

-Clinton's Gay Fixer: Mark Walsh Rallies LGBT Community for Clinton inPhilly
When Mark Walsh knocked on the door of a blue-collar residence in northeastPhiladelphia on April 12, there was very little chance of his encounteringanother gay person. This was not downtown Philly's gayborhood, but arough-around-the-edges treeless development where the chief difference amongall the look-a-like duplexes was how badly they were in need of paint.


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Yesterday, Ryan J. Davis posted some musings about the same-sex marriagesituation in California on the HuffingtonPost.com blog. The key paragraphsays: "Sources wishing to remain anonymous in the California Court Systemindicate that the court, which has until June 2, 2008 to issue its marriageruling, is considering issuing it on Friday, May 23, 2008, with the decisionbeing written by Chief Justice Ronald George. The Court is readying itselffor a backlash that may follow the rumored and bold decision. There is talkthat the Court will not simply strike down Proposition 22, but will move theState of California toward full marriage, if not even granting full marriagerights for gays and lesbians outright."

-Jim Wallis wants you to know he's not a liberal. Yes, he's been a chiefcritic of the Religious Right since its inception, gave the Democraticweekly radio address after the 2006 midterm elections, and has been anoften-controversial voice for social justice since his early-'70s days atTrinity Evangelical Divinity School. But, he says, his chief critics thesedays are liberals, not conservatives. "There is a Religious Left in thiscountry, and I'm not a part of it," Wallis said when he stopped byChristianity Today's offices during his February tour for his latest book,The Great Awakening. Meanwhile, he says, theologically conservativeevangelicals (especially young ones) are flocking to his message and are"deserting the Religious Right in droves" because it attempted to "restrictthe language of 'moral values' to just two issues-abortion and gaymarriage."

-Gay and lesbian couples who have filed as domestic partners in Oregon willhave the option a year from now of filing jointly on their state income taxreturns. To do so, they will be advised to fill out a second federal taxform as if they were a married couple.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Royal took drugs, court told in "gay sex blackmail trial"
The Old Bailey was told yesterday that the Royal at the centre of a gay sexblackmail plot took drugs. The court also heard a comparision to a Royalaide and the BBC Are You Being Served character Mr Humphries.
The Royal can't be named due to a court order.

-Vengeful transvestite trashes lingerie boutique
A man dressed in woman's clothing repeatedly crashed his car into a Detroitarea lingerie store on Saturday in a bizarre act of revenge.

-US Christian celebrity comes out
Hath hell frozen over? Azariah Southworth, Nashville resident and host ofthe famed Christian youth show The Remix, has publicly announced he is gay.

-Ken emphasises his gay rights credentials
The Mayor of London will be taking to the streets of Soho this evening totry to drum up votes among the city's lesbian and gay community. In astatement earlier today Ken Livingstone, who is standing as the Labourcandidate in pursuit of a third term in office, said he has been "at theforefront" of promoting LGBT rights.
"If re-elected in May I will work to ensure that London retains itsreputation as a welcoming and safe place for lesbian and gay Londoners andvisitors."

-Commissioner's horror at extent of homophobia in Europe
The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights has called for moreprotections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans people.

-Australia may delay gay equality proposals
The government of Australia is considering whether or not to bring forwardmeasures in next month's Budget that will give gay citizens equal rights ina range of areas. Last year the country's Human Rights and Equal OpportunityCommission (HREOC) report was presented to the federal parliament listingthe 58 laws that need to be changed. Kevin Rudd's Labour party promisedreform during last year's elections.

-Male eggs and female sperm "science fiction" says report
An international panel of scientists has said that while technology thatwill allow human egg and sperm cells to be grown from stem cells could behere in five years, the prospects of gay and lesbian couples having childrenthat are genetically theirs are slim. The report from the Hinxton group ofstem cell researchers said that because women have two copies of the Xchromosome but men have one X and one Y, there are no circumstances they canforsee an entirely same-sex baby.

-Brazil takes movie inspiration for condom campaigner
"Do whatever you want, but do it with a condom," is the message to young gayBrazilians from a new campaign against HIV and AIDS. Government officialshave defended targeting gay men, citing statistics that found there are 1.5million gay men who have sex with men (MSM) aged between 15 and 49 out of atotal population of 184 million. The director of the National Programme ofHIV and AIDS, Mariangela Simao, said: "These groups are more susceptible toHIV infection."


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Forwarded from Steve Kranta

-Battle for gay marriage rights gains Jewish support
For years, Robin Tyler has been trying to wed her partner, Diane Olson.
Every Valentine's Day they show up at the courthouse with a wedding cake andtheir attorney, Gloria Allred, only to be denied a marriage license. Lastmonth, Tyler sat in the plaintiff's chair in a case before the CaliforniaSupreme Court, challenging the legality of the state's definition ofmarriage as between a man and a woman.
http://jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=19192


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USA TODAY
http://www.usatoday.com

-Divorce hard to get for some gay couples
PROVIDENCE (AP) - Gay couples had to struggle mightily to win the right tomarry or form civil unions. Now, some are finding that breaking up is hardto do, too.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-04-15-gay-divorces_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip&POE=click-refer


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Turkey: End Harassment of Gay Rights Groups
(Istanbul, April 16, 2008) - A police raid on a Turkish human rightsorganization is the latest incident in an escalating pattern of harassmentof gay rights groups, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter to TurkishMinister of Interior Besir Atalay, Human Rights Watch called on thegovernment to cease official harassment of groups working on sexualorientation and gender identity issues, and to ensure training of allcriminal-justice officials in human rights principles. On April 7, 2008,approximately 12 police in plainclothes entered the headquarters of theLambda Istanbul Cultural Center, which defends the rights of lesbian, gay,bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Their warrant cited suspicion thatLambda "facilitates prostitution, acts as a go-between [and] provides aplace for [prostitution]," criminalized under Article 227 of Turkey's PenalCode. The raid took place 10 days before an April 17 court hearing in a caseagainst Lambda Istanbul brought by the Istanbul Governor's Office, accusingthe group of violating Turkish "moral values and its family structure."

-Irish Times: Sperm donor to lesbian couple fails in rights bid
A gay friend of a lesbian couple who donated his sperm to one of them,resulting in the birth of a boy now aged almost two, has lost his landmarkHigh Court bid for guardianship of the child and has also been refusedaccess. In rejecting the man's case yesterday, Mr Justice John Hedigan saidthe welfare of the child was best served by remaining with the lesbiancouple and by the man having no guardianship or access. There was nothingin Irish law to suggest a family of two women and a child "has any lesserright to be recognised as a de facto family than a family composed of a manand woman unmarried to each other and a child", he stressed.
Mr Justice Hedigan said the rights of a man who acted as a sperm donor wereat least no greater than those of an unmarried father. The man had a mereright to apply to be appointed as a guardian but had no right to beappointed a guardian. In considering his application, the child's welfarewas the paramount consideration.


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#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST April 17, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Who's Bitter Now?
DURING Wednesday night's Democratic presidential debate in Philadelphia,Barack Obama once more tried to explain what he meant when he suggestedearlier this month that small-town people of modest means "cling to guns orreligion or antipathy to people who aren't like them" out of frustrationwith their place in a changing American economy. Mr. Obama acknowledged thathis wording offended some voters, but he also reiterated his impression that"wedge issues take prominence" when voters are frustrated by "difficulttimes."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/opinion/17bartels.html?scp=5&sq=GAY&st=nyt

-Race and American Memory I was wandering through the King Center here whenI stumbled on a movie clip of an indignant African-American woman saying:
"If we can't live in our country and be accepted as free citizens and humanbeings, then something's the matter with something - and it isn't me."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/opinion/17cohen.html?ref=opinion

-No Clear Advantage
One of the more surprising twists in a surprising year is that despite theobvious Republican disadvantages in this election cycle, John McCain ismatching up pretty well against Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in testsbeing conducted by national polls. Pew Research Center and CBS/New YorkTimes polls show Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton holding only modest leads overMr. McCain, while other national surveys - notably Associated Press/Ipsosand NBC/Wall Street Journal - have Mr. McCain running about even against theDemocratic candidates.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/no-clear-advantage/index.html?ref=opinion

-Prominent Tibetan Figure Detained in China
BEIJING - The Chinese authorities have detained a high-profile Tibetantelevision reporter who is also a popular singer, suggesting that thegovernment crackdown following the disturbances in and around Tibet has yetto run its course.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/world/asia/18tibet.html?hp


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-No Peace Without Hamas
GAZA -- President Jimmy Carter's sensible plan to visit the Hamas leadershipthis week brings honesty and pragmatism to the Middle East whileunderscoring the fact that American policy has reached its dead end.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acts as if a few alterations here andthere would make the hideous straitjacket of apartheid fit better. WhileRice persuades Israeli occupation forces to cut a few dozen meaninglessroadblocks from among the more than 500 West Bank control points, theseforces simultaneously choke off fuel supplies to Gaza; blockade its 1.5million people; approve illegal housing projects on West Bank land; andattack Gaza City with F-16s, killing men, women and children. Sadly, this is"business as usual" for the Palestinians.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041602899.html

-Mr. Zahar and Mr. Carter
The former president, on what he says is a road to peace, embraces Hamasterrorists.
ON THE OPPOSITE page today we publish an article by the "foreign minister"of Hamas, Mahmoud al-Zahar, that drips with hatred for Israel, and withpraise for former president Jimmy Carter. We believe Mr. Zahar's words areworth publishing because they provide some clarity about the group he helpsto lead, a group that Mr. Carter contends is worthy of being included in theMiddle East peace process. Mr. Carter himself is holding what appears to bea series of meetings with Hamas leaders during a tour of the Middle East. Hemet one militant in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday and wasreportedly planning to meet Mr. Zahar in Cairo today before traveling toDamascus for an appointment with Khaled Meshal, Hamas's top leader.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041603097.html

-On the Shield Law, Good News and Bad
The bad news last week for conservative Republican Rep. Mike Pence wasprivate confirmation that his proposed law protecting journalists fromrunaway judges was opposed by President George W. Bush himself, not justinflexible Justice Department lawyers. The good news this week for Pence wasan unexpected endorsement by Bush's successor heading the Republican Party,John McCain.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041602903.html

-Warmed Over
President Bush delivers much talk and little action on climate change.
PRESIDENT BUSH strode to the lectern in the Rose Garden yesterday and onceagain passed up an opportunity -- perhaps his last -- to do somethingmeaningful on climate change. "Today, I am announcing a new national goal:
to stop the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025," he said. Thatpronouncement was a weak and inadequate response to the imperative that theUnited States provide leadership in combating global warming, aresponsibility Mr. Bush has shamefully ducked throughout his presidency.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041603313.html

-Pope Benedict and the Mystery of Two Worlds
Giving the Pope advice is a contradictory task, because the Church'sposition is that he is infallible to begin with. To an outsider,infallibility seems like an impossible burden for someone who, the daybefore his election to the Papacy, was as fallible as any other mortal. Butthe Church's whole existence is based on a special relationship to God. ThePope sits on a throne that belongs to Jesus when he returns, and thissymbolizes a duty to care for the Kingdom of God here on earth. The currentcrises inside Catholicism are only the latest difficulties that began afterChrist disappeared from view. In every age balancing the two worlds of Godand man has been a deep mystery.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/deepak_chopra/2008/04/pope_benedict_and_the_mystery_1.html?hpid=topnews


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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Obama betraying his former backers
Barack Obama seemed to have survived the blasphemous rants of his preacherand remained relatively untarnished by the perceived dissatisfactions of hisprivileged wife. But he may be less lucky with remarks he made recently about embittered, small-town Americans, who "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to peoplewho aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment asa way to explain their frustrations."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-parker17aprilsbapr17,0,1487035.story

-AP-Yahoo poll shows McCain winning back unhappy Republicans
WASHINGTON - Republicans are no longer underdogs in the race for the WhiteHouse. To pull that off, John McCain has attracted disgruntled GOP voters,independents and even some moderate Democrats who shunned his party lastfall.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top11apr17,0,5391498.story


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Long Nomination Battle Hampers Democrats' Chances in November
RICHMOND At the start of the year, Virginia and national Democrats had highhopes that the state's 13 electoral votes could be up for grabs in the Nov.4 presidential election.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041503289.html

-Obama and Clinton fizzle in Philly
Wednesday's debate was devoid of substance and rife with gotcha politics. Inthe end, Obama seemed to win simply by not losing.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/04/17/dem_debate/

-Executions to resume after high court OK's lethal injections
WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. executions are all but sure to resume soon after anationwide halt, cleared Wednesday by a splintered Supreme Court thatapproved the most widely used method of lethal injection.
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SCOTUS_LETHAL_INJECTION?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-04-16-20-13-36

-'Elitist' card snubs the facts
New rift mired in irony
Why do Americans look for people to look down on?
We sometimes baffle ourselves with ambivalence toward ambition and success.
We applaud "merit," for example, yet we turn up our noses at "elitists." Weroot for the little guy, yet again and again we elect the wealthy, thepowerful and the "insider."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0416pageapr16,0,5528250.column

-Why Clinton won't quit
REGARDLESS of what happens Tuesday in the Democratic presidential primary inPennsylvania, Hillary Clinton will not quit. Call it Divine Right orchutzpah, the Clintons believe she is entitled to the presidency. They'vebeen planning it since their days at Yale.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/04/17/why_clinton_wont_quit/

-In Reversal, Stevens Says He Opposes Death Penalty
Justice John Paul Stevens was one of the co-authors of the Supreme Court's1976 decision reinstating the death penalty, but he announced yesterday thathe now believes capital punishment is unconstitutional.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/16/AR2008041603073.html?hpid=topnews

-Our view on protecting confidential sources: Presidential contenders backyour right to know
'Shield law' allows whistle-blowers to speak without fear of reprisal.
Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and Republican John McCaindisagree on Iraq, the economy, health care and a host of other issues. Soit's notable that all three senators found common ground this week insupport of a measure to protect reporters' ability to keep promises ofconfidentiality to their sources.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2008/04/our-view-on-pro.html

-Credit crisis hits student borrowers
Short of funds, lenders cut back
Anthony Norton, a junior at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, justlearned a tough lesson in economics:
The credit market crisis is spreading to student loans.
http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2008/04/17/credit_crisis_hits_student_borrowers/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Today%27s+paper+A+to+Z

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST April 17, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida Legislature set to bar dumping of treated sewage into ocean
TALLAHASSEE - South Florida may soon face a deadline to stop dumping treatedsewage into the ocean, and local residents could face higher bills to payfor improved water treatment.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flfsewage0417sbapr17,0,7235763.story


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Domestic partner gains likely in Dade
A Miami-Dade County Commission committee approved a package of benefits fordomestic partners.
http://www.miamiherald.com/548/story/498852.html


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Steve Rothaus
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/steve_rothaus/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay Chamber to hold mixer April 16 (tonight) at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
It is April and time for another fantastic event! This is a not-to-bemissed opportunity to visit the Seminole Hard Rock as they pull out all thestops for our members and guests.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/04/gay-chamber-to.html

-Sidelines Sports Bar: Zoom Airlines' launch event a triumph for the GLBTmarket
ZOOM AIRLINES' LAUNCH EVENT IS A TRIUMPH FOR THE GLBT MARKET!
The British came, saw, and loved the warm reception that the Fort Lauderdalegay community gave them last Thursday evening as Sidelines Sports Bar hostedthe Pre-Pride Launch Party for Zoom Airlines. Zoom Airlines, the leading,low-fare transatlantic airline, was in town to attend Pridefest and promotetheir new transatlantic service between London Gatwick and Fort Lauderdale,Florida in May 2008 to the GLBT community.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/04/sidelines-sport.html


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From Fairness for All Families
Senior Advocates Urge Floridians to VOTE NO on Amendment 2
Florida Retirees Risk Loss of Essential Health and Family Benefits
(Tallahassee) Advocates for Florida seniors today called on voters to DEFEATAmendment 2, the so-called Florida "Marriage Protection" Amendment. Themeasure that denies benefits to unmarried Floridians will hit seniorsparticularly hard, according to the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans.
"Many seniors who are widowed do not remarry because, if they do, they risklosing essential pension benefits or they fear that a new marriage mightupset estate plans for their adult children," said Barbara DeVane, secretaryfor Florida Alliance for Retired Americans. "This amendment threatens tostrip away essential health and family protections unmarried seniors counton to take care of themselves and their loved ones." Already, backers of theamendment are preparing to challenge Tampa's domestic partnership policythat provides health coverage and other protections to firefighters, policeofficers and other municipal employees.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/deepak_chopra/2008/04/pope_benedict_and_the_mystery_1.html?hpid=topnews

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From AIDS Walk Miami - Walk Talk
This is it South Florida!!! This Sunday is the 20th Annual AIDS Walk Miamiwhen our Grand Marshal, Jane Lynch, our Master of Ceremonies, Fox NewsAnchor, Craig Stevens and "Mr. Miami Beach" Michael Aller, along with you,your family, friends and co-workers will gather for an amazing day and helpCare Resource, the GLCC of South Florida, Broward House, and Food For LifeNetwork raise funds for the fight against HIV/AIDS in South Florida. We areanticipating a huge attendance this year, so we have moved up theregistration time which will now begin at 7:30 in Hall D of the Miami BeachConvention Center. The entrance is located on Convention Center Drive,directly across from the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens.
www.aidswalkmiami.org


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From Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Lethal Injection Ruling
Florida has become the first state to announce that executions will nowbegin again as a result of today's U.S. Supreme Court decisionupholding Kentucky's lethal injection protocol. As you know, thecourt's ruling focused on the constitutionality of Kentucky's method ofexecutions. The court upheld the Kentucky State Supreme Court's rulingthat their lethal injection procedures did not constitute a"substantial risk" of pain, torture and lingering death. Florida'sprocedures, although similar to Kentucky's, are not identical. Morelegal challenges are expected here.
The real issue, of course, is the Death Penalty system itself.
Florida's Death Penalty system has the nation's highest risk ofexecuting the innocent (26 exonereations off Death Row) as well asbeing hugely expensive (over $51 million a year), absolutelyunnecessary (we have life in prison without parole) and inherentlyinhumane (there is no humane way to commit and inhumane deed).
http://www.fadp.org/


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-State Senate passes property insurance measure
TALLAHASSEE -- Legislation that gives Florida regulators more authority overprivate property insurance companies sailed through the Senate on Wednesday,escalating the state's ongoing battle with insurers.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/BREAKINGNEWS/80416050/1086/news01

-IMMIGRATION
Miami-Dade lawmakers stymie immigration bills
Bills targeting illegal immigration have yet to make much headway in thestate Legislature.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/498835.html

-ENERGY
Crist wants to slash state's gas tax
The governor called for a gas-tax break, but legislators are doubtful itwould save Florida drivers money.
http://www.miamiherald.com/458/story/498827.html

-Florida Senate approves Crist health plan
TALLAHASSEE - A unanimous nod from the Florida Senate on Wednesday broughtGov. Charlie Crist closer to his goal of offering health insurance touninsured Floridians. But victory is a long way off.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article460220.ece

-Flat tax fight returns to state House
TALLAHASSSEE -- A divided House panel picked up the baton of a citizen taxrevolt on Tuesday, agreeing to ask voters in November to cut property taxesby at least $5.9 billion.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080416/BREAKINGNEWS/80416001/1086/news01

-Legal fight vowed after Crist signs guns-to-work law
Groups say they'll challenge Crist
TALLAHASSEE - As Gov. Charlie Crist signed the Florida Legislature'scontroversial guns-to-work bill into law Tuesday, business interests vowedto take the fight to a new arena: the courtroom.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl-flfguns0416sbapr16,0,2790792.story

-East Florida Amtrak may gain momentum
A long-discussed plan for passenger rail service along Florida's east coastbetween Miami and Jacksonville may get a push Friday.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/04/17/m3b_eastcoastrail_0417.html

-Florida: Water Plan Favors Georgia
WASHINGTON - Florida would still "bear the brunt" of Georgia's lack ofdrought planning under the Bush administration's latest water-sharing planfor the Southeast, a Florida congressman says.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/17/na-florida-water-plan-favors-georgia/?news

-Court upholds lethal injection
TALLAHASSEE - Florida wasted little time in seeking to get executions backon track after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Kentucky cancontinue using lethal injection to carry out the death penalty.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/state/epaper/2008/04/17/m1a_scotus_main_0417.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=0

-Florida execution list
The state of Florida has active death warrants for three Death Row inmates,Mark Dean Schwab, Wayne Tompkins and Robert Trease. Another inmate, GaryAlvord, has served the longest time on Death Row -- going on 34 years --though he has not been scheduled for execution.
Here is a look at the four men:
.Mark Dean Schwab was convicted of raping and killing 11-year-old JunnyRios Martinez of Daytona Beach in 1991. Gov. Charlie Crist signed Schwab'sdeath warrant in 2007, aiming to have him be the first person executed sincethe state halted the procedure after a botched lethal injection in December2006. His execution was stayed in November after the U.S. Supreme Court tookup the Kentucky case.
.Wayne Tompkins was sentenced to die for the murder of a 15-year-old
Lisa DeCarr, whose body was recovered beneath her mother's home in Tampa 14months after her 1983 disappearance. A jailhouse informant told police thatTompkins, her mother's boyfriend, had confessed to the murder. Former Gov.Jeb Bush signed a warrant for his death in 2001, but a controversy over DNAtesting secured Tompkins a reprieve.
.Robert Trease was sentenced to die for the Aug. 17, 1995, slaying of aman during a robbery in Sarasota County. Bush signed his death warrant in2001, but stayed the execution during court reviews.
.Gary E. Alvord was convicted of the 1973 slaying of Lynne Herrmann, hermother and her grandmother in their Tampa home. He has been on Death Rowsince 1974.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/498912.html

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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

GLBT DIGEST April 16, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Some gay couples are having trouble obtaining divorces
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Gay couples had to struggle mightily to win theright to marry or form civil unions. Now, some are finding that breaking upis hard to do, too.
In Rhode Island, for example, the state's top court ruled in December that
gays married in neighboring Massachusetts can't get divorced here becauselawmakers have never defined marriage as anything but a union between a manand woman. In Missouri, a judge is deciding whether a lesbian married inMassachusetts can get an annulment.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Gay-Divorce.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=gay&st=nyt&oref=slogin

-Changing With Times, a Parish Prospers
The morning service begins with the swift tap-tap-tap of drums, accentedwith horns. "El Señor es mi pastor," the band sings out, echoed by loudclaps from the pews.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/nyregion/16alive.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=nyt

-Krister Stendahl, 86, Ecumenical Bishop, Is Dead
Krister Stendahl, a former dean of the Harvard Divinity School and a bishopin Sweden whose scholarship opened new ways of interpreting the Apostle Pauland whose activism pushed churches toward unity and tolerance, died onTuesday in Boston. He was 86.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/16stendahl.html?sq=gay&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&scp=6&adxnnlx=1208344367-KqnZoWhCdCoo3vXZcEvymw

-"Faith Vote" Big In Pennsylvania Primary
MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Darwin McAfee is a white evangelicalProtestant who is opposed to abortion and likes the great outdoors.
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-usa-politics-pennsylvania-religion.html?scp=8&sq=gay&st=nyt

-Pope lands in US, vows to fight clergy sex abuse
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Md. (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI stepped onto U.S. soilfor the time as pontiff Tuesday, arriving to a presidential handshake andwild cheering only hours after he admitted that he is ''deeply ashamed'' ofthe clergy sex abuse scandal that has devastated the American church.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Pope-US.html?scp=9&sq=gay&st=nyt

-The Pope's Visit: Abuse Victims Not Placated by Pope
WASHINGTON - Far from tamping down emotions, Pope Benedict XVI's expressionof remorse on Tuesday for the church's sexual abuse scandal prompted anangry and skeptical response from victims, who said they wanted actions, notwords from the Vatican.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/nationalspecial2/16victim.html?hp


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Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Chinese AIDS victims detained, harassed: lawyers
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police have detained up to eightHIV/AIDS-affected people who tried to complain to Premier Wen Jiabao about ahospital they claimed spread the HIV virus, lawyers for two of the familiessaid on Monday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSPEK23187320080414?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews

-LGBT Rights Group Faults CNN, Not Candidates, for Choosing Messiah College"It is our understanding that CNN chose the venue," Brad Luna,communications director for the Human Rights Campaign, told me in an email,when I asked about the appropriateness of Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, andBarack Obama, D-Illinois, who profess to support gay rights, speaking Sundaynight at Messiah College where homosexuality is classified as a sin alongwith adultery, stealing, and sexual abuse.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/glbt-rights-gro.html


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Homophobic Attacks Lead Gay Couple To Split
(Edinburgh) Dreams of domestic bliss following their civil partnership havebeen shattered for a Scots gay couple following a series of homophobicattacks, allegedly by their neighbors.

-Medical Pot Users Owe Canadian Government More Than $500,000
(Ottawa) Medical marijuana users are on the hook for more than $500,000 inunpaid bills for government-certified weed, raising questions about theeffectiveness of Health Canada's troubled dope program.

-Actor Luke Macfarlane Comes Out
(Toronto, Ontario) Actor Luke Macfarlane, a regular in the ABC seriesBrothers & Sisters, has come out in an interview with a Canadian newspaper.

-Trial Begins For Pair Accused In Royal Gay Blackmail Plot
(London) Two men demanded 50,000 pounds, or about $100,000 (USD), from amember of the Royal Family to hand over video and audio recordingscontaining ``scandalous and disparaging'' allegations, prosecutors saidTuesday.

-Gay Rights To Suffer With Berlusconi Victory
(Rome) Italy has tilted to right with Silvio Berlusconi triumphing inparliamentary election.


=
The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Hillary Clinton to Appear on Colbert
Hillary Clinton is hoping the ''Colbert bump'' will help propel her to victory in Pennsylvania. The Democratic presidential candidate will make her first appearance on Comedy Central's The Colbert Report on Thursday. Both Clinton and Colbert have come to Pennsylvania ahead of the state's hard-fought Democratic primary on April 22.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53436.asp


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-The Netherlands: Marriage registrars who refuse to perform same-sexmarriages must also be denied from performing marriages between men andwomen, the Equal Treatment Commission (CGB) ruled yesterday. In October2007, the municipality of Langedijk placed an ad for two marriageregistrars. The municipality demanded that applicants be prepared to conductboth heterosexual and same-sex marriages. The CGB judged yesterday thatmunicipalities may indeed make this requirement. A local authority is "notviolating the equal treatment law if it refuses to appoint a marriageregistrar who does not wish to marry persons of the same sex on grounds ofreligion".

-Maine: Groups that support gay rights have sent a 12-page letter to Secretary of
State Matthew Dunlap outlining what they say is wrong with a proposedreferendum question submitted last week by Michael Heath, executive directorof the Christian Civic League of Maine. The Maine Civil Liberties Union,Equality Maine and the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders claim that thecurrent language in the league's proposed question would "take away everybasic right that gay and lesbian Mainers have."

-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement last week that he would oppose aballot measure reaffirming California's ban on same-sex marriage delightedgay-rights activists and infuriated social conservatives, who accused him offlip-flopping on the issue. But Schwarzenegger's stand appears to reflecthis long-standing ambivalence over an issue on which so many people inpolitics feel so strongly. Based on everything he has said since he wasfirst a candidate for governor, Schwarzenegger does not really seem to carewhether California legalizes gay marriage or not, whatever his personalfeelings on the subject might be.

-The fight for gay marriage in California has been a tough one during thelast decade. In 2000, Proposition 22 was passed by 62% of the state'svoters, limiting marriage to a man and a women. Its since been sent to theState's Supreme Court. Gov. Schwarzenegger has twice vetoed Gay MarriageBills sent to him by the California Legislature, the second as recently aslast year. "He will uphold whatever the court decides," Schwarzeneggerspokeswoman Margita Thompson said after the bill's original passing.

-The Illinois House has rejected a measure aimed at helping gay teachers inChicago. The measure involves pension benefits that surviving spouses can collect after a teacher dies. The change would have allowed gay teachers to givesurvivor benefits to their partners, just as married couples can.
The legislation failed 43-67 Tuesday. Supporters say the change wouldn'thave cost taxpayers anything. Teachers would have paid all costs.

-Maine: The Christian Civic League of Maine is like the Energizer bunny -- except that it's not amusing. Like the bunny, it keeps going and going and going. Just when we thought the world, or at least Maine, was safe from another bigoted campaign against gay men and women, the League is launching a new referendum effort to repeal every law providing protection to people who have long faced discrimination. It's amazing how much fear and hatred the League managed to pack into one proposed referendum.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Pope makes distinction between gays and paedophiles
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church has spoken out about the sexualabuse of children by priests. Benedict XVI gave a rare insight into hisviews to reporters accompanying him on his first Papal visit to the UnitedStates, which began yesterday. In his comments the pontiff moved to dismissthe suggestion that he links sexual abuse of children with homosexuality.
click here for the full article

-DC Madam with links to Senators found guilty
Once considered a viable running mate for Republican Presidential hopefulSenator John McCain, a federal jury on Tuesday found 'D.C. Madam' DeborahJeane Palfrey guilty of money laundering and racketeering for running aprostitution ring. Throughout the trial, Palfrey, 52, maintained that hercompany, Pamela Martin and Associates escort service, provided legal escortservices that catered to adult fantasies from 1993 to 2006. Palfrey, wearinga grey suit and with clasped hands, showed little emotion when the juryfound her guilty.
click here for the full article

-Gay refugees face prejudice across the world
Biplob Hossain, a gay refugee from Bangladesh who is seeking asylum inAustralia, and Joaquin Ramirez, facing deportation from Canada to ElSalvador, have highlighted the plight of gay men who flee their countries toescape persecution.Mr Hossain, 25, moved to Australia on a student visa whenhe was 19. He applied for asylum on the basis that he would sufferpersecution in Bangladesh. He was placed in a detention centre for 29months.
click here for the full article

-Senior Mormons agree to meet with gay group
Mormon church officials have agreed to meet with a gay Mormon support group.
Affirmation, a group that supports the Mormon LGBT community, were invitedto meet with Fred Riley, commissioner of Family Services for The Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Harold C. Brown, the agency's pastcommissioner.Mr Riley said: "We believe that is always important to have theopportunity to be given better understanding of your points of view."
click here for the full article

-Gay World Cup organisers say 90% of funding in place
The 2008 International Gay and Lesbian Football Association WorldChampionship being held in London later this year has announced cashsponsorship from a website. The championship became an issue in the electionfor Mayor of London today when LGBT activist and Green party candidate PeterTatchell attacked the incumbent for reportedly declining to contribute tothe funding and or sign a letter of support for a grant application to thelottery fund.
click here for the full article


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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Politicians Should Think Before They Speak
Guess who said the following: "What you have to spew and spread is extremelydangerous ... it's dangerous for our children to even know that yourphilosophy exists!"
http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/Politicians_Should_Think_Before_They_Speak_5555.html

-What's so awful about kicking the guys out of the gym?
I was all geared up to write a column fulminating against Harvard forsetting up women-only hours in one of its gyms because apparently someMuslim women students felt more comfortable exercising away from the eyes ofmen. Kowtowing to religion! Validating Islam's obsession with female-andonly female-modesty! Denial of equal gym time to men!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0414kathaapr14,0,4494334.story

-Bitter? Of Course. Here's Why
Honest discussion about the roots of working-class angst and how to addressit has gotten seriously burned in the firestorm of controversy fanned aroundcomments by Sen. Barack Obama that working-class people are "bitter" aboutthe economy and government.
http://ourfuture.org/blog-entry/bitter-course-heres-why

-BUSH FIDDLES WHILE THE PLANET BURNS
DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- In the grand tradition of the loopy conservativepatriarchy, right up there with Ronald Reagan's 1981 comment, "Trees causemore pollution than automobiles do," we now have Homeland Security ChairmanMichael Chertoff arguing that "illegal migrants really degrade theenvironment."
http://www.american-reporter.com/3,402/200.html

-Prosecutors outline flag mutilation charges against Westboro Baptist Churchmember
OMAHA - Sarpy County prosecutors have formally spelled out why they areprosecuting a member of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas for flagmutilation.
http://www.beatricedailysun.com/articles/2008/04/01/news/local/doc47f24505bf07f231414789.txt

-Don't be the only gay in the cemetery
HOMOSEXUALS have been designated an area in a Copenhagen cemetery for thosewho want to be buried among people who shared their sexual orientation.
"We founded an association called Regnbuen (Rainbow) and our goal is thatgays and lesbians can be buried next to each other,'' Ivan Larsen said.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23510677-5005961,00.html

-Ariz. deportation policy a model, feds say
The nation's top immigration officials want other states to copy an Arizonaprogram that releases non-violent, illegal-immigrant inmates from stateprisons and deports them.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/04/15/20080415deport0414.html

-Right wing video warns: Gays are plotting to invade City Hall
The town of Eureka Springs is turning into the "San Francisco of Arkansas,"warns the American Family Association, and it can happen in your town too.
http://pageoneq.com/news/2008/afa041408.html

-Palm Springs' image in book creates uproar
Called by some the nation's gayest city, it is described as a center ofaging men with sexual hyper-drives.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/la-me-outthere7mar07,0,5268234.story

-Controversy escalates over 'Day of Silence'
Students from at least one Fairbanks high school, West Valley, will beparticipating in the "Day of Silence," an event sponsored by the Gay,Lesbian and Straight Education Network. The national event is scheduled forApril 25.
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/apr/15/controversy-escalates-over-day-silence/

-Focus on the Family's Ant-Gay Ministry Heads to CA for Weekend Conference
Focus on the Family's traveling "ex-gay' ministry, Love Won Out, traveled tothe South Bay area, to Mountain View, Cal., this past weekend, drawingprotest and organization from the anti-"ex-gay" group Truth Wins Out.
http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=73029

-What defines 'sexually explicit' is Ind.'s $250 question
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Planning to open a bookstore in Indiana? Maybe anewsstand? How about a pharmacy?
You may be officially labeled a purveyor of "sexually explicit materials."
Now, if you'll just sign this registry, the secretary of state will acceptyour check for $250.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.bookstores13apr13,0,6882689.story

-Business more accepting of gay, lesbian employees
Jan Stevenson became so impatient with the pace of change in acceptance ofpeople with gender concerns she and her partner bought Between the Linesnewspaper in 1995 and transformed it into the Pride Source Media Group witha 20,000 weekly circulation, sales in excess of $1 million andpart-sponsorship of an annual PrideFest in Ferndale that draws up to 50,000people.
http://crainsdetroit.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080414/SUB/564693291/1068

-Democrats must renew bond with working class
WASHINGTON - During the five decades that the New Deal coalition governednational politics, from the 1930s to the 1980s, the relationship between theDemocratic Party and working-class voters was an economic bond: Generationsof Americans took it as an act of faith that Republicans represented themoneyed elites while Democrats stood up for the little guy.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2008/04/15/democrats_must_renew_bond_with_working_class/

-Sexuality's role in the Bible dissected at Monday panel discussion
The Ole Miss Department of Philosophy and Religion, the Sarah Isom Center,ALLIES, the Gay/Straight Alliance and PFLAG (Parents and Friends of LesbiansAnd Gays) hosted a panel discussion Monday at noon in Bryant Hall titled,"Sexuality and the Bible."
http://media.www.thedmonline.com/media/storage/paper876/news/2008/04/15/News/Sexualitys.Role.In.The.Bible.Dissected.At.Monday.Panel.Discussion-3325463.shtml

-Out Missouri lawmakers accuses colleague of bullying students
Openly lesbian Missouri legislators Jeanette Mott Oxford and Jolie Justus,joined by fellow Democrat Sara Lampe, held a news conference last weekaccusing State Rep. Jane Cunningham of insulting two teenagers based ontheir physical appearance.
http://www.gaypolitics.com/?p=416

-Tiff over purple-haired, pierced kids takes a new twist
Thought the brouhaha between the gay and lesbian kids who got kicked out ofRep. Jane Cunningham's office was over? Think again. The students who were"painful" for Cunningham to look at, were advocating for the gay and lesbiangroup PROMO, and after they were kicked out of Cunningham's office (thereasons why are in dispute), PROMO started a campaign asking Cunningham toapologize.
http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2008/04/tiff-over-purple-haired-pierced-kids-takes-a-new-twist/

-John McCain Will be Thrilled
John McCain -- who last year declared that America was founded as aChristian nation, and refused to retract his claim even after being calledon it by the Anti-Defamation League -- will no doubt be thrilled to hear thenews that the Alabama House of Representatives agrees with him.
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/4/15/134439/915

-Truth Wins Out Trumps Love Won Out.
Today was certainly an exciting and productive day. We gathered outside theAbundant Life Christian Fellowship in Mountain View, CA, at 11am with oursigns and began our vigil. Originally our group numbered about 10 people andover time grew to approximately 22. Traffic on Leghorn St. was fairlyconstant so we got a good deal of attention and while some people showedobvious consternation over our presence many honked their horns in support.
http://gaytheistagenda.lavenderliberal.com/2008/04/12/truth-wins-out-trumps-love-won-out/

-Foreman's farewell thoughts
I'm just off of a media conference call with Matt Foreman and other leadersof the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, marking his final day as executivedirector. He'll be succeeded in interim fashion by Rea Carey, his deputyE.D., with no firm date set for a successor to be named. (Carey said she hasnot applied for the job but will stay on as deputy E.D.)
http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2008/04/foremans-farewe.html

-Pete shits a brick over cabin made of logs
Amidst denunciations of both the GOP's "big tent" philosophy and the veryidea that one can be "pro-homosexual and pro-family at the same time,"highly prolific 'mo foe Peter LaBarbera is encouraging White House hopefulJohn McCain to withdraw from a planned meeting with the Log CabinRepublicans:
McCain urged to flee from Log Cabin Republicans [ONN]
http://www.goodasyou.org/good_as_you/2008/04/pete-shits-a-br.html

-ABC News' Jake Tapper Calls Attention to the Anti-Gay Views of the College
That Hosted CNN's "Compassion Forum"
On April 13, presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obamaengaged in a discussion with people of faith about their views on varioussocial issues during CNN's "Compassion Forum." CNN chose Pennsylvania'sMessiah College as the location of the event. As ABC News Senior NationalCorrespondent Jake Tapper noted in his blog, Messiah is an evangelicalcollege that explicitly equates being gay with sinfulness in its "communitycovenant." The college, Tapper explained, also advises its gay students topartake in so-called "ex-gay" counseling. Tapper additionally quoted severalcomments from readers concerned about Clinton's and Obama's presence at theanti-gay school. "How can politicians appear at a college that espousesthese ideas and then turn around and court the gay community at the sametime?" one reader queried. Unfortunately, CNN's "Compassion Forum" neverraised such questions because it provided the candidates no opportunity toeven generally discuss their views on LGBT issues. Hopefully, more nationaljournalists will follow Tapper's lead by questioning the candidates'commitment to LGBT equality and by examining and calling attention to theviews of the sponsors and hosts of political events.
http://glaadorg.nexcess.net/2008/04/abc-news-jake-tapper-calls-att.html

-Atlanta clergy demand gay 'tax equality'
Protest held at regional post office on tax deadline day
Clergy representing gay and gay-friendly Atlanta congregations gathered infront of the Atlanta Regional Post Office in Hapeville today - the last dayto file federal income taxes - to stress economic justice is also a faithissue when it comes to tax equality for gay families.
http://www.southernvoice.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=17717

-O'Reilly's Homophobia
From his suggestion that the "secular progressive movement" would like tohave "poly-amorphous" marriage ("you can marry 18 people, you can marry aduck") to his statement that it would be "insane" and "inappropriate" to"cluster" gays near children, Bill O' Reilly has never been one to "relax onall this gay stuff."
http://mediamatters.org/action_center/oreilly_lgbt/


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Gay & Lesbian Leadership SmartBrier
http://www.smartbrief.com/index.jsp
Go to this link for the following articles:

-2008 International Gay & Lesbian Leadership Conference
The Mayflower Hotel | Washington, D.C. | December 4-7
Registration is now open for the 24th International Gay & Lesbian LeadershipConference, the premier gathering of openly LGBT elected, appointed andcommunity leaders. This year the conference returns to Washington, D.C. justweeks after U.S. voters choose a new president. It will be an exciting timeto be in the capital city, and attendees will be at the center of it all inthe famed Mayflower Hotel just steps from the White House and Dupont Circle.
There are a limited number of hotel rooms at the Mayflower at our specialconference rate of just $149 per night. Book yours now using our conferencegroup code: GLLGLLA
Visit our new conference Web site for more information and check back oftenfor updated lists of panels, speakers and events.
http://www.glli.org/files/conference2008/


=
Message from Fight OUT Loud:
I wanted to send you all a note to update you on the amazing work Fight OUTLoud is doing. Our organization, which now has over 20,000 membersnationwide, is busy fighting discrimination on every level!
Fight OUT Loud continues to work around the country to empower people whoare faced with discrimination and hate. We have been working with GLSEN tohelp establish Gay-Straight Alliances in schools with anti-gay bullyingissues, worked with the Gay American Heroes Foundation to get the word outabout hate crimes against the LGBT community, and continued to fight bigotedcomments from politicians like Mayor Jim Naugle of Fort Lauderdale and SallyKern of Oklahoma. We also launched our "1 Every 8 Days" video online andhave been spreading the message around the globe that violence against ourcommunity will not be accepted. To see the video, click HERE. We areempowering the LGBT community and its allies around the country, providingresources and creating new leaders and activists as we go. Join the Fight!
Waymon Hudson
President of Fight OUT Loud
www.fightoutloud.org



=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article

-Another AIDS Casualty
Dr. Ramon Torres was a hero on the front lines against the epidemic for overa decade. It was when the war began to be won that he got lost. It was afrigid morning last December, and the disheveled man standing before JudgeJames Gibbons had made his way to the second floor of 100 Centre Street in athin nylon windbreaker, ill-fitting designer jeans, and a pair of tornjackbootsâ?"something out of an old S&M catalogueâ?"which he hadaccessorized with a wide leather cuff snapped on his wrist. At first he wastrembling, as if from the cold. Then the trembling subsided, and his eyelidsfell. Dr. Ramon A. â?oGabrielâ? Torres, a near-legendary doctor in thefight against AIDS, had fallen asleep on his feet. I remembered the firsttime I had seen him nod off in a crowded room. It was a decade ago, andTorres was the featured speaker at a meeting of top AIDS researchers todiscuss a novel way to treat HIV-negative patients who suffered anaccidental exposureâ?"a needle stick or broken condom, or a night spentcarelessly. At the time, Torres was the director of AIDS programs at St.Vincentâ?Ts Medical Center. He was a visionary, responsible for turning aconservative Catholic clinic at the crossroads of the epidemic into aleading research facility, pioneering drug regimens that saved thousands oflives, and bringing AIDS care to homeless New Yorkers, the accomplishmentfor which heâ?Ts best known.
http://nymag.com/news/features/45785/


=

From Ray: I received an e-mail from Wells Fargo mortgage that lookedsuspicious. I went to the legitimate website and did not respond to thee-mail's request to respond to the bogus request. I'm sending the reponse Ireceived from Wells Fargo so you don't respond to bogus e-mails attemptingto gain access to your private information.

-Thank you for reporting a phish email to reportphish@wellsfargo.com.
Below are some common questions about phishing:
Q: What is phishing?
A: Phishing is usually a two-part scam.
Part I: email. Fraudsters, also known as phishers, send email to a wideaudience that appears to come from a reputable company. This is known asa phish email. In the phish email are links to spoof websites.
Part II: spoof websites. Websites that spoof or imitate a reputablecompany's website are known as phish sites. Fraudsters hope to convincevictims to provide their personal information by using clever andcompelling language in their phish emails and spoof websites.
Q: I received a phish email. Does this mean my identity had beencompromised?
A: No. Receiving a phish email claiming to be from Wells Fargo does notmean your identity has been compromised. Phish emails claim to come fromvarious reputable companies.
Q: What if I clicked on an email link to a spoof Wells Fargo website andgave away some of my personal information such as my username andpassword?
A: Call 1-866-867-5568 to speak with a fraud prevention specialist.
Q: What if I clicked on an email link to a spoof Wells Fargo website anddid not give away any of my personal information?
A: Make sure your anti-virus software is current and your operatingsystem and browser are updated with current security patches. Some spoofsites contain viral elements so you should verify that you did notdownload any viruses. Also, delete the email and if you receive otherphish emails, report them as well.
Q: How do I determine if an email is legitimate?
A: Wells Fargo will never request you to send personal information viaemail. Always use your browser to visit the Wells Fargo website bytyping in our URL. If you are familiar with email headers, you can useyour email application to check the headers and make sure Wells Fargo isindeed the sender. If in doubt, delete the email.
Q: How was my email address located?
A: Fraudsters locate email addresses from many places on the web. Theyalso purchase email lists and sometimes guess email addresses.
Fraudsters generally have no idea if people they send phish emails toare Wells Fargo customers or not. They hope a percentage of the phishemails they send will be received by Wells Fargo customers.
Be sure to keep your operating system and browser updated with currentsecurity patches.
Sincerely,
Wells Fargo Online Fraud Prevention Team


=


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST April 16, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-NY Governor's Tax Return Gets Tough Public Audit
Alitha Martinez, a comic book artist who lives in Manhattan, gave severalhundred dollars' worth of clothing that her 6-year-old son had outgrown toneighborhood charities last year. She also took a $1,000 tax deduction fordonating an old Macintosh computer. And she occasionally sells her artworkand gives the proceeds to the Hero Fund, which provides scholarships tochildren of military personnel.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/nyregion/16charity.html?scp=5&sq=gay&st=nyt

-Wall Street Winners Get Billion-Dollar Paydays
Hedge fund managers, those masters of a secretive, sometimes volatilefinancial universe, are making money on a scale that once seemedunimaginable, even in Wall Street's rarefied realms.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/business/16wall.html?hp

-Guns and Bitter
We thought the Republican presidential primaries were over. So we are at aloss to explain why Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have beenwandering around Pennsylvania and Indiana and anywhere else they might finda vote or a dollar arguing about which one cares more about guns andreligion.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/opinion/16wed1.html?ref=opinion

-Right Fight, Wrong Word
Ever since Barack Obama's comments about small-town Pennsylvania votersfirst surfaced in the public sphere late last week, the scions of thepolitical community have talked of little else. Both the Clinton and McCaincampaigns focused on the word "bitter" - allowing Senator Obama's supportersto engage in a largely semantic discussion about whether economicallydisadvantaged Americans were "bitter" or "angry" or "frustrated." But thisis a meaningless series of distinctions even in this super-charged politicalenvironment. It's safe to say that people without jobs are not particularlyhappy about that situation, regardless of the adverb in question.
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/right-fight-wrong-word/index.html?ref=opinion

-McCain Outlines Broad Proposals for U.S. Economy
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Senator John McCain offered the broadest look yet at hiseconomic policies in a speech on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, outlining a seriesof tax reductions and backing away from his pledge to balance the budget bythe end of his first term.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/16mccain.html?hp

-Publishers Sue Georgia State on Digital Reading Matter
Three prominent academic publishers are suing Georgia State University,contending that the school is violating copyright laws by providing coursereading material to students in digital format without seeking permissionfrom the publishers or paying licensing fees.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/technology/16school.html


=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Hillary Clinton loses traction over Barack Obama in Pennsylvania, Indiana
Her formerly double-digit lead is now just a 5-point margin in Pennsylvania,a survey finds. The reduced margin makes a win for her there lesssignificant. She trails Obama among Hoosiers.
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-poll16apr16,0,794499.story

-VIOLENCE: Brutality the road to `fame'
They wanted to be famous. By LEONARD PITTS JR.
Of all the troubling aspects of the Lakeland tale of thuggery and brutalitythat has recently made national headlines, that's arguably the mostappalling. Not that there isn't plenty more here to disgust any observerwith a conscience.
http://www.miamiherald.com/418/story/497373.html


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-New Strategy for Clinton
Hillary Clinton took an important step Monday toward winning the Democraticnomination by launching an ad targeting Barack Obama's recent comments aboutworking-class voters clinging to "guns or religion." The ad is a markedchange from her recent determination to use a positive message until theDemocratic convention, but for Clinton to capture the nomination she needsto completely abandon her positive campaign and continue to hammer away atObama.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502664.html

-A Crime and Its Punishment
Is the death penalty the right response to the horror of child rape?
THERE IS NO crime more heinous than the rape of a child. But does theConstitution allow states to impose the death penalty for such a crime whenthe child's life has not been taken?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502852.html

-Democrats Willing to Let Battle Continue
Poll Shows Gains in Key Areas for Obama
Sen. Barack Obama holds a 10-point lead over Sen. Hillary Rodham Clintonwhen Democrats are asked whom they would prefer to see emerge as the party'spresidential nominee, but there is little public pressure to bring the longand increasingly heated contest to an end, according to a new WashingtonPost-ABC News poll.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041503586.html?hpid=topnews

-MOST SEE DISHONESTY: Poll Shows Erosion Of Trust in Clinton
PHILADELPHIA, April 15 -- Lost in the Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign'saggressive attacks on Barack Obama in recent days is a deep and enduringproblem that threatens to undercut any inroads Clinton has made in herstruggle to overtake him in the Democratic presidential race: She has losttrust among voters, a majority of whom now view her as dishonest.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041502883.html?hpid=topnews

-Benedict XVI: The Shows and the Rifts
"What can Pope Benedict XVI say and do to repair the growing rifts between the Vatican, the clergy and the laity in America?" "Nothing" is my first thought: you don't send the problem to fix the problem. The problem is not the excellent scholar Joseph Ratzinger, or this good man in the papal role.
The problem is the traditional autocratic papacy itself, of which he is the current embodiment.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/willis_e_elliott/2008/04/benedict_xvi_the_shows_and_the.html


=
From Ray: I received an e-mail from Wells Fargo mortgage that lookedsuspicious. I went to the website and did not respond to the e-mail. I'msending the reponse I received from Wells Fargo so you don't respond tobogus e-mails attempting to look like legitimate banks.

-Thank you for reporting a phish email to reportphish@wellsfargo.com.
Below are some common questions about phishing:
Q: What is phishing?
A: Phishing is usually a two-part scam.
Part I: email. Fraudsters, also known as phishers, send email to a wideaudience that appears to come from a reputable company. This is known asa phish email. In the phish email are links to spoof websites.
Part II: spoof websites. Websites that spoof or imitate a reputablecompany's website are known as phish sites. Fraudsters hope to convincevictims to provide their personal information by using clever andcompelling language in their phish emails and spoof websites.
Q: I received a phish email. Does this mean my identity had beencompromised?
A: No. Receiving a phish email claiming to be from Wells Fargo does notmean your identity has been compromised. Phish emails claim to come fromvarious reputable companies.
Q: What if I clicked on an email link to a spoof Wells Fargo website andgave away some of my personal information such as my username andpassword?
A: Call 1-866-867-5568 to speak with a fraud prevention specialist.
Q: What if I clicked on an email link to a spoof Wells Fargo website anddid not give away any of my personal information?
A: Make sure your anti-virus software is current and your operatingsystem and browser are updated with current security patches. Some spoofsites contain viral elements so you should verify that you did notdownload any viruses. Also, delete the email and if you receive otherphish emails, report them as well.
Q: How do I determine if an email is legitimate?
A: Wells Fargo will never request you to send personal information viaemail. Always use your browser to visit the Wells Fargo website bytyping in our URL. If you are familiar with email headers, you can useyour email application to check the headers and make sure Wells Fargo isindeed the sender. If in doubt, delete the email.
Q: How was my email address located?
A: Fraudsters locate email addresses from many places on the web. Theyalso purchase email lists and sometimes guess email addresses.
Fraudsters generally have no idea if people they send phish emails toare Wells Fargo customers or not. They hope a percentage of the phishemails they send will be received by Wells Fargo customers.
Be sure to keep your operating system and browser updated with currentsecurity patches.
Sincerely,
Wells Fargo Online Fraud Prevention Team

=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST April 15, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Some Perspective on 'Bitter'
Maybe Barack Obama felt he couldn't afford to give the correct answer.
He was asked at a fund-raiser in San Francisco about his campaign'sexperiences in the run-up to next week's Democratic primary in Pennsylvania.
One of the main problems, of course, is that he hasn't generated as muchsupport as he'd like among white working-class voters.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/opinion/15herbert.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

-When Drug Costs Soar Beyond Reach
It doesn't take a health policy expert to recognize that something has goneterribly wrong when patients have to pay thousands of dollars a month fordrugs that they need to maintain their health - and possibly save theirlives. Congress needs to determine why this is happening and what can bedone about it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/opinion/15tues1.html?ref=opinion

-Tax Cuts at Center of McCain Economic Plan
PITTSBURGH - Senator John McCain offered the broadest look yet at hiseconomic policies in a speech here Tuesday, calling for tax cuts, a freezeof discretionary spending for a year, higher premiums for better-offMedicare recipients and elimination of federal gas taxes this summer toreinvigorate the sagging economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/15cnd-mccain.html?hp


=
Washington Post
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-On the Economy, 70% Disapprove of Bush
Public disapproval of the way President Bush is handling the nation'seconomy has hit a new high in Washington Post-ABC News polling, and hisoverall favorability rating remains near an all-time low.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402842.html?hpid=moreheadlines

-Loose Lips and Democratic Ships
The Democratic presidential candidates are doing a splendid job of helpingJohn McCain get to the White House.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402649.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

-Shot and a Chablis
Hillary "Shot-and-a-Beer" Clinton has given us the perfect illustration ofwhat's so insane about American politics: the philosophical dictum thatcould be summed up (with apologies to Descartes) as "I seem, therefore Iam."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402449.html

-Guns, God and Gotchas
Long ago I discovered that the word "frankly" often meant a lie was coming.
I learned this from an insurance agent, who preceded every attempt to sellme useless coverage with a "frankly." This is why I distrust what HillaryClinton said about Barack Obama and his admittedly klutzy statement aboutguns, church, immigrants and bitterness -- "elitist, out of touch and,frankly, patronizing," she said. Frankly, I don't believe her.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402453.html

-Two Separate Societies: One in Prison, One Not
Forty years ago, the Kerner Commission concluded in its landmark study ofthe causes of racial disturbances in the United States in the 1960s: "Ournation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white -- separate andunequal." Today we are still moving toward two societies: one incarceratedand one not. The Pew Center on the States released a study in Februaryshowing that for the first time in this country's history, more than one inevery 100 adults is in jail or prison. According to the Justice Department,7 million people -- or one in every 32 adults -- are either incarcerated, onparole or probation or under some other form of state or local supervision.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402451.html

-Rogue Democrat
South Africa's Thabo Mbeki sides with Robert Mugabe against the people ofZimbabwe.
FOR THOSE who argue that democracies are natural allies in internationalaffairs, South Africa poses a vexing challenge. Since that country beganserving a term on the U.N. Security Council last year, the government ofPresident Thabo Mbeki has consistently allied itself with the world's roguestates and against the Western democracies. It has defended Iran's nuclearprogram and resisted sanctions against it; shielded Sudan and Burma from thesort of pressure the United Nations once directed at the apartheid regime;and enthusiastically supported one-sided condemnations of Israel by the U.N.Human Rights Council.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041402638.html

-Palfrey Convicted on Prostitution-Related Charges
Deborah Jeane Palfrey was convicted this afternoon of racketeering and othercharges after a federal court jury determined that her upscale escortservice was actually a front for prostitution.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/15/AR2008041501564.html?hpid=topnews

-'The Talk'
Forget the Birds and the Bees -- Kids Are Asking About IVF, TransgenderPregnancy and STDs
Early one morning, Nancy Nisselbaum was readying her 6-year-old son Marshallfor school and herself for work when he asked: "Mommy, how does the spermget from the donor to the doctor?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/11/AR2008041103435.html?hpid=smartliving

-Threats Close 3 Colleges, 4 More Schools
CHICAGO -- A message scrawled in a university bathroom _ "Be prepared to dieon 4/14" _ left not just the college's campus empty Monday, but also thoseof two adjoining high schools and a pair of nearby elementary schools.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041400832.html?hpid=sec-education

-Hundreds Protest Dalai Lama in Seattle
SEATTLE -- In a showing of pro-Chinese support, hundreds of demonstratorsprotested outside a college arena Monday as the Dalai Lama spoke to studentson solving problems through dialogue.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041403430.html?hpid=sec-religion


=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-How Republicans Quietly Hijacked the Justice Department to Swing Elections
The GOP may have committed massive vote fraud in plain sight by encouragingwidespread voter purges and restricting registration campaigns.
http://www.alternet.org/democracy/82348/

-Editorial: Obama's lapses make him vulnerable
In better days, Barack Obama has inspired with his words. The senator fromIllinois has offered hope and the promise of a new approach to governing.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-obama_15edi.ART.State.Edition1.4660d60.html

-Most voters disagree with Obama comment
The first poll is out to try to measure voter sentiment on Barack Obama'sremarks about bitter working class voters.
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/04/most_voters_dis.html

-OBAMA COULD SNUB KATIE COURIC
Katie Couric's reported status as a lame duck may torpedo what was supposedto be her biggest night - a starring role as the host of a presidentialdebate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04152008/tv/obama_could_snub_katie_106563.htm

-Michigan poll buoys GOP
With McCain leading Clinton and nearly tied with Obama, analyst sees dangerthis fall for Democrats.
A new poll shows Sen. John McCain nearly tied with Sen. Barack Obama in ahypothetical Michigan general-election matchup, and significantly ahead ofSen. Hillary Clinton -- reinforcing Republicans' hopes of competing in areliably Democratic state.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/POLITICS01/804150352/1374

-Barack Obama, the yuppie candidate
Barack Obama is finally coming into focus.
For a while now, the Obamaphiles have insisted that their candidaterepresents a profound break with the past. No more culture wars. No more"re-litigating the 1960s," in Obama's own words.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-goldberg15apr15,0,2585923.column?track=rss

=

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST April 15, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=
Save The Date:
Stonewall Street Festival 2008
Wilton Manor's Stonewall Street Festival is a little over two month's away.
Save the date, June 16th to 20th, 2008. Traveling to Wilton Manors fromoutside of South Florida? For hotel reservations, use the following link:
http://frontpage.jumponmarkslist.com/gay_hotels.htm


=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida budget cuts would hurt 'oldest, sickest and neediest'
TALLAHASSEE - For every dollar cut from Florida's budget, a life somewherewill be touched. Many of them will belong to the state's youngest, oldest,sickest and neediest, whose numbers grow in bad economic times.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-flfbudget0415sbapr15,0,5282248.story


=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida hospitals rated below average
Hospitals in the state rank relatively low in quality and patientsatisfaction, according to two federal surveys.
Florida's hospitals are lagging the nation in two important measures --quality of care and patient satisfaction.
http://www.miamiherald.com/tropical_life/story/495919.html


=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Tallahassee to vulnerable Floridians: Drop dead
If a state had its priorities straight, balancing a budget on the backs ofthe working poor, the elderly and the disabled would be the last option.
This year in Florida, it's the first option.
With the Republican-led House and Senate having completed mutuallyheartless, stupid budgets last week - after rejecting attempts by Democratsto raise revenue by imposing tax fairness - the Legislature officially isconsidering cuts of as much as $637 million in health care for some of thestate's most vulnerable residents. Included are indefensible reductions inthe Medicaid Program for the Aged and Disabled and the Medically Needyprogram.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/15/m14a_leadedit_healthcuts_0415.html

-Options shrink for property tax reform in Florida
TALLAHASSEE - Just last month it looked as if Florida voters could have twochoices for reforming the property tax system in November. Now, it'spossible they could have none.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article456749.ece

-Evolution fray attracts top scientist
Nobel winner battles plan to let teachers challenge Darwin's theory
TALLAHASSEE - His mess of white hair rising with the wind, Nobel laureateHarold Kroto delivered what has become his standard speech on evolution:Humans and fruit flies share the same genes.
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080415/NEWS/804150543/1018/news02

-Evolution bill draws scientific ire
TALLAHASSEE - Calling a bill that would introduce theories other thanevolution into the classroom "evilution" and a magnet for lawsuits ifpassed, a group of scientists and other opponents galvanized against thelegislation on Monday.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080414/BREAKINGNEWS/80414029/1086/news01


=
From The Florida Red and Blue/Say No 2 Team

-We're working across Florida to get voters to Say No 2, but we wanted tofocus a little bit on what's happening in Broward County, definitely one ofour most active areas.
And we'll lead with this: it happened quietly, but we think now's the timeto unveil a major opponent to Amendment 2:
The Broward League of Cities, representing 31 cities in South Florida andover 80 associate government, nonprofit and business organizations.
The League passed a resolution in January opposing Amendment 2, because "theproposed Constitutional Amendment will prohibit other protections that mightotherwise be available, including but not limited to domestic partnershipbenefits."
We think this is a big deal - 31 cities Say No 2 taking away benefits andprotections from unmarried Floridians. Click HERE to see the League'sresolution.
It sure runs counter to what the supporters of Amendment 2 are saying.
They're focused on the tired old message of "banning gay marriage" - even thoughthey know there are no fewer than four laws on the books that make same-sexmarriage illegal in Florida, and that when Amendment 2 is rejected by thevoters it will still be illegal.
And speaking of opposition.If you were at Fort Lauderdale's Pridefest thispast weekend you would have seen a TREMENDOUS amount of opposition toAmendment 2. Florida Red and Blue/Say No 2 staff and volunteers workednonstop to reach attendees and explain the dangers of Amendment 2.
We signed up more than 900 volunteers, and more than 1,500 people pledged toSayNo2 at the ballot box in November. That's what we're replicating acrossFlorida - and that's how we'll beat Amendment 2.
Kudos to SayNo2's new Broward field coordinator SF Mahee, who was a ball ofenergy for two days. If you'd like to volunteer or find out how you canhelp, please click HERE, or contact SF directly at sf@floridaredandblue.com.
If you'd like to contribute so we can replicate our Broward success in yourarea, click HERE.
Last week we told you about our newest Advisory Board member, US Rep. AlceeHastings, who represents a large part of Broward County. He's the sixthmember of the Florida Congressional delegation to Say No 2, and joins hisBroward colleagues US Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Kendrick Meek.
Joining them on the Advisory Board from Broward are Dan Reynolds, BrowardAFL-CIO president; Stacy Ritter, Broward County Vice Mayor; Broward CountyCommissioners Sue Gunzberger and Ken Keechl; Sandy Steen, Broward Log CabinRepublicans president; Andrew Torres, Broward Hispanic Democratic Caucuspresident; Mitch Ceasar, chair of the Broward Democratic Party; and StateReps. Elaine Schwartz and Evan Jenne.
From the Congressional delegation, to municipal officials, to Browardresidents - everyone is on board to Say No 2.
And one more quick thing: please click HERE so Florida Red and Blue/Say No 2
can win a fast $1,000 in an online poll. It'll just take a few seconds, andas you know, every dollar counts toward helping us reach voters to Say No 2.Thanks for your support.
The Florida Red and Blue/Say No 2 Team
http://sayno2.com/index.php?submenu=action&submenu=action&src=gendocs&ref=Volunteer&category=Main

=

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#####

GLBT DIGEST April 15, 2008

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Pope: 'Ashamed' of Clergy Abuse Scandal
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday he was''deeply ashamed'' of the clergy sexual abuse scandal that stained theCatholic church and will work to make sure pedophiles don't become priests.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Pope-US.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=nyt&oref=slogin

-Faith in Spotlight, Candidates Battle for Catholic Votes
WASHINGTON - Many years have passed since the Democratic Party was as much apart of American Catholic identity as weekly Mass and parochial school. Butit still came as a shock to many Democrats to lose the Catholic vote, a keygroup in must-win states like Ohio, in the 2004 presidential election.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/us/politics/15catholics.html?sq=gay&st=nyt&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1208264833-ia1R2M5EQUZYq2AaNaclQQ

-How Epidemics Helped Shape the Modern Metropolis
On a Sunday in July 1832, a fearful and somber crowd of New Yorkers gatheredin City Hall Park for more bad news. The epidemic of cholera, cause unknownand prognosis dire, had reached its peak.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/science/15chol.html?scp=4&sq=gay&st=nyt


=
Washington Post
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-A Back-to-Basics Messenger
Pontiff Expected to Stress Traditional Catholic Worship, Belief in Miracles
ROME, April 14 -- In an era saturated with entertainment and politics, a keyquestion looms as Pope Benedict XVI leaves here Tuesday for Washington: Ishis style too dense to get Americans' attention?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/14/AR2008041403244.html


=
Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Rejected rule on sexuality to come down from state Web site
Raleigh - The state personnel office will take down from its Web site a ruleagainst anti-gay discrimination.
The proposed rule was rejected in January by the state Rules ReviewCommission as overstepping the State Personnel Commission's authority, butit showed up in a copy of the state personnel handbook posted online.
http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880414015&source=rss


=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-GOP Lawmaker Apologizes For Obama Remark
(Frankfort, Kentucky) Republican Rep. Geoff Davis has apologized toDemocratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after referring to him as"that boy."

-BET Founder Takes On Obama, Race
(Charlotte, North Carolina) The billionaire founder of Black EntertainmentTelevision says Barack Obama would not be a leading presidential candidateif he were white and that the Illinois senator's campaign has "ahair-trigger on anything racial."

-Poll: Clinton Maintains 6-Point Lead In Pa.
(Washington) One week before Pennsylvania's presidential primary, Clinton isholding the line as front-runner.

-Gay Hate Becomes A Family Affair
(Worcester, Massachusetts) Three members of a Worcester, Massachusettsfamily are facing trial on hate charges following an incident in anapartment where two men were attacked in what police describe as ahomophobic assault.

-Cdn. Tories, Grits Deadlocked
(Ottawa) A new national poll suggests Conservatives and Liberals remaindeadlocked with neither party able to muster more than lukewarm levels ofpublic support.

-Study: Pink Ceiling Limits Careers
(London) A UK survey of LGBT workers has found that most believe coming outwill hurt their careers.

-Photographer To Appeal Human Rights Fine For Refusing To Take Gay CouplePictures
(Albuquerque, New Mexico) Attorneys for a photographer say they appeal "asfor as it will go" a finding that she violated the New Mexico human rightslaw by refusing to take pictures of the commitment ceremony of a lesbiancouple.


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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-"I Am Who I Am"
Franciscan duo again to lead spiritual get-together for "Gay and LesbianCatholics" at order's retreat house in Danville
As they did last year, Franciscan Frs. Jim Schexnayder and Rusty Shaughnessywill direct a "Gay and Lesbian Catholics Retreat" at San Damiano RetreatHouse at Danville, in the Oakland diocese.

-Actor Blair Underwood to Join Thousands of Walkers for Florida AIDS Walk
Actor Blair Underwood (Dirty Sexy Money, In Treatment, The New Adventures ofOld Christine) and actor/comedian Mario Cantone (Sex and the City: TheMovie) will join thousands of walkers for the Florida AIDS Walk on Sunday,April 27th, starting and ending at Huizenga Plaza in downtown Ft.Lauderdale. Presented by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), AHF Pharmacy andOut of the Closet Thrift Stores, funds raised by Florida AIDS Walk willsupport the expansion of free HIV testing and prevention education inFlorida's Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, as well as healthcare forHIV-positive individuals throughout the state. For more information, to makea donation, or to register as a team captain, walk participant, virtualwalker, or volunteer, please visit: www.FloridaAIDSWalk.org. Whether walkingthe full 10k route, the 5k route or only a few blocks - each person'sparticipation will make a difference.

-One Third of Thailand's Gays Now Threatened by HIV
The Thai Ministry of Public Health has just released figures detailing thedramatic rise of HIV infection among MSM (men who have sex with men).
Estimated at 28% in 2005, that number has increased to an all-time high ofjust under 31% in 2007.

-"Work Out," Reality TV Normalizing Gays
The third season of Work Out, Bravo's mostly-gay gym drama, premieres thisweek. AfterEllen.com has an insightful article on the reality show and itsstar, Jackie Warner: Warner is a unique personality on the televisionlandscape - a lesbian, an athlete and a businesswoman. In a medium whereelite female athletes are not given much coverage and the emphasis is onthose who are traditionally feminine, Warner stands out for herassertiveness and power.

-Colleges 'Coming Out' For Gays
As high-schoolers are "coming out" at younger ages, universities are doingmore to market themselves to college-bound gay students. The University ofColorado -- which participates in about 65 national, springtimecollege-admissions fairs -- included one for gay, lesbian, bisexual andtransgender students on this year's schedule. Also, the Boulder campus'Gay-Straight Alliance is working with the student government to start a newprogram in which CU students would educate high-schoolers on issuessurrounding sexuality and campus programs.

-Eye-Opening Lecture Kicks Off GLBT Week
Rev. Mel White said coming out as a homosexual was incredibly difficult. Hewas a Christian minister. He feared ridicule. And he chose to make theannouncement on national television. Monday night, students, faculty andother community members gathered in Student Center Ballroom D to listen toWhite's story of his struggle to accept his own homosexual orientation, butalso acceptance from other Christians.

-Candidates Silent to GLBT Issues
On Sunday, Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton traveled to MessiahCollege in Pennsylvania to speak at an event aired by CNN called "TheCompassion Forum." Unfortunately, the senators failed at their chance todiscuss Messiah College's less than compassionate discriminatory policiestoward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. Messiah is one of ahundred universities that discriminate against the GLBT community. It isdisappointing that the senators did not address these policies that breedintolerance and misunderstanding.

-Gays and Lesbians Conceiving Children via Surrogacy or AlternativeInsemination
Gay and lesbian couples never become pregnant by accident. However, theirmethods of achieving pregnancy are many and varied. A growing number oflesbian couples are choosing alternative insemination of one partner; and agrowing number of gay male couples are choosing gestational surrogacy(fertilizing an egg contributed by one woman and arranging with a differentwoman to carry the fetus until birth).

-Business More Accepting of Gay, Lesbian Employees
Jan Stevenson became so impatient with the pace of change in acceptance ofpeople with gender concerns she and her partner bought Between the Linesnewspaper in 1995 and transformed it into the Pride Source Media Group witha 20,000 weekly circulation, sales in excess of $1 million andpart-sponsorship of an annual PrideFest in Ferndale that draws up to 50,000people.

-PlanetOut Is Out Of Publishing (And $26 Million)
In an embarrassing setback, PlanetOut Inc., a leading LGBTmedia company, isselling its magazine business for a song--after a steady decline in ad pagesand readership at two of the best-known LGBT magazines, Out and Advocate.
Having purchased the magazines and erotic book business of LiberationPublications for $32.1 million in November 2004, on Thursday PlanetOutannounced it is selling the magazines to Here Networks, a gay andlesbian-themed TV network, for a paltry $6 million.


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Chelsea Clinton Wows Gays at Portland's Red Dress Party
Between giving speeches for her mother in Oregon, Chelsea Clinton made anappearance at Portland's legendary Red Dress Party, an annual dance wherealmost 2,000 attendees -- mostly gay men -- don red gowns and enjoy disco,the Willamette Week reported Sunday.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53378.asp

-Oregon Methodist Church Votes to Accept Gays
An Oregon Methodist church that previously did not welcome LGBT congregantshas decided to embrace interested churchgoers regardless of sexualorientation. According to The [Eugene] Register-Guard newspaper, thegoverning body of the First United Methodist Church in downtown Eugene voted168-10 to become the third "reconciling" Methodist church in Lane County andninth in the state.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid53382.asp


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Michael Fouquette feels lucky - he found a man, fell in love, and has beenliving happily in Orange County for five years. Now, he only needs a visa.
Fouquette, a 43-year old web designer, is banking on the U.S. government'svisa lottery for skilled workers, hoping his Taiwanese partner Ming-JerLee - who holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from UC Irvine - willbe among the winners. That's because unlike straight couples, same-sexpartners can't apply for a green card. "They can't recognize ourrelationship for him to immigrate, or for us to stay together," saidFouquette, who met Lee, 39, shortly after he came to California for graduateschool on a student visa. "We've been lucky. But should we have to (be)?"

-The trial of a lesbian couple charged with trespassing after they staged asit-in at the Denver Clerk and Recorder's Office was postponed Monday untilMay 6. Catherine Burns and Sheila Schroeder were charged with themisdemeanor after they were denied a marriage license and refused to leavethe building.

-The log cabin is a tricky place -- gay Republicans often must temper theirparty allegiance or risk self-ostracizing. Thanks to Washington's civilunion bill signed March 12, however, conservative gay partners not only havea host of new rights but a new lease on their vote come November. RudyGiuliani began as the obvious favorite among Log Cabin Republicans, a gaywing of the Republican Party. Unafraid of rooming with a gay couple -- as hedid following the separation from his second wife -- or dressing in drag,the sexually confident former mayor was supported by many of the party's gaymembers.

-Hundreds of demonstrators from all over Norway descended on downtown Osloover the weekend to protest the government's proposed law allowing same-sexmarriages. The protesters included immigrants and native Norwegians, andthey came from the villages and the cities. All were firmly against marriagerights for gay and lesbian couples. Former Bishop Per Lønning was amongthose speaking in the public square called Youngstorget in downtown Oslo.
Supporters have called the proposed "sex-neutral" marriage rights "a victoryfor romance and reason." Lønning equated that to nonsense "typical of ourtimes."


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay World Cup organisers say 90% of funding in place
The 2008 International Gay and Lesbian Football Association WorldChampionship being held in London later this year has announced cashsponsorship from a website. The championship became an issue in the electionfor Mayor of London today when LGBT activist and Green party candidate PeterTatchell attacked the incumbent for reportedly declining to contribute tothe funding and or sign a letter of support for a grant application to thelottery fund.
click here for the full article

-Scots Parliament considers gay blood ban
A petition calling for an end to the blanket ban on blood donations from gaymen will be considered by the Scottish Parliament today. The ScottishNational Blood Transfusion Service maintains that it is not a question ofbeing gay or bisexual but the risk involved. Rob McDowall, who has led thecampaign against the ban, said:
"Blood has no sexual preference and being gay does not mean that you sleepabout and have serial sexual partners."
click here for the full article

-American Catholics think Pope is out of touch
A wide-ranging poll of Roman Catholics in the US has found that two thirdsof them feel the Church is out of touch with today's world. Just two yearsago, when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope, 52% of AmericanCatholics held that view: now the figure is 62%. The figures come ahead of aPapal visit to the United States. Pope Benedict XVI, who has been outspokenin his opposition to equal rights for LGBT people, will visit Washington andNew York.
click here for the full article

-DA asked to treat King killer as a juvenile
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans activists are urging that a 14-year-old boywho is to stand trial for the murder of his classmate be dealt with by ajuvenile court. Lawrence King, who self-identified as gay and wore feminineclothing, was shot in the head during a class on February 12th, allegedly byclassmate Brandon McInerney, 14, at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard,California. McInerney has been charged as an adult and could face up to 24years to life for the murder charge.
click here for the full article

-Marilyn sex tape sells for $1.5m
It's been over 50 years since The Seven Year Itch was released but the saleof a newly discovered Marilyn Monroe sex tape proves that some folks willstill pay top dollar to look up the bombshell's skirt. A New York Citycollector and businessman just paid a cool $1.5 million (£762,000) for thesilent, black and white sex film of the famous blonde orally servicing anunidentified man for 15 minutes. But unlike today's celebrity sex tapes,Monroe's will remain under wraps for now.
click here for the full article

-Berlusconi back in power, but what about gay rights?
Conservative media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi has declared victory in theItalian general election as he looks set to begin his third term as primeminister after beating socialist Walter Veltroni. In a phone call to Rai TV,Signor Berlusconi said of his victory: "I'm moved, I feel a greatresponsibility. We have difficult months ahead that will require greatstrength." Berlusconi's right wing alliance is expected to have won 45.9per cent of the vote, compared to 39.1 per cent for the left.
click here for the full article

-Pressure grows on EU over discrimination directive
The European Commission has been urged by several leading groups in theEuropean Parliament to implement a discrimination directive that coverssexual orientation. There have been strong indications from CommissionPresident Jose Manual Barroso and employment, social affairs and equalopportunities commissioner Vladimir Spidla that the directive may focus ondisability only. Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty requires EU memberstates to introduce legislation on discrimination.
click here for the full article

-Anglican leader backs ban on same-sex prom dates
The leader of the Anglican church in Australia has backed a decision by asecondary school to bar its male pupils from bringing their boyfriends tothe annual formal dance. A handful of Year 12 (Sixth Form) students atAnglican Grammar School in Brisbane had expressed their desire to bringtheir gay partners to the end of year ball. The Most Revd Phillip Aspinallis both president of the school's council and Anglican Archbishop ofBrisbane.
click here for the full article

-Serb President guarantees Eurovision safety
An official at the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has revealed that theyhave been given "a guarantee for the safety of delegations, press and fansissued by the President of Serbia," covering this year's Eurovision contestin Belgrade. Human rights activists have raised concerns that Western fansvisiting Serbia will be targeted by fascist elements in the country. Gaymen are a particular target, according to the president of the fascistorganisation Obraz.
click here for the full article

-Gay Scots footballers collect silverware
The second and final leg of the inaugural Fitlads Cup, played yesterday inEdinburgh, went to a nail-biting penalties finish after a 3-3 aggregate drawbetween HotScots FC and London Falcons FC. The first LGBT football teamnorth of the border took victory. HotScots FC was founded last year with theaim of organising socials and regular kickabouts and to provide a socialoutlet for LGBT people who wish to watch and participate in football withother like-minded people.
click here for the full article


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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-The Mayor of London has refused to contribute to the funding of the2008
International Gay & Lesbian Football Association WorldChampionship, which isbeing held in London in August.Mr Livingstone has also refused to sign aletter of support for theIGLFAWC's grant application to the lottery fund.
Having thehigh-profile support of the Mayor would increase the likelihood ofthegrant succeeding. The unexpected lack of financial support from the Mayorhascontributed to the IGLFAWC being left with a funding shortfall. Theorganisers need to raise another £30,000 to cover their costs.


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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article

-On Monday, April 14, the National Center for Transgender
Equality (NCTE) will honor Rep. Jerrold Nadler and the other six members ofCongress who stood unwavering in their support of gender identityprotections. During last year's disappointing setback in the work to pass aunified Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), seven members of Congressremained true to their commitment to only support legislation that coveredall LGBT people. By standing up for the broadest protections, theydemonstrated their courage and commitment to ensuring that all people inthis country should live free from discrimination.

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